Contact probe, method of manufacturing the contact probe, and device and method for inspection

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a contact probe includes an electroforming step of, using a resist film ( 522 ) arranged on a substrate ( 521 ) as a pattern frame having a shape corresponding to a contact probe, performing electroforming to fill a gap in the resist film ( 522 ) to form a metal layer ( 526 ), a tip end shaping step of obliquely removing and sharpening that part of the metal layer ( 526 ) which serves as a tip end portion of the contact probe, and a take-out step of taking out only the metal layer ( 526 ) from the pattern frame.

1. A method of manufacturing a contact probe, comprising:
 an electroforming step that comprises, using a pattern frame having a shape corresponding to a contact probe and arranged on a substrate, performing electroforming to fill a gap of said pattern frame to form a metal layer; 
 a tip end shaping step that comprises obliquely removing and sharpening a tip end of said metal layer that is to serve as a tip end portion of said contact probe, comprising cutting said tip end of said metal layer by electrical discharge machining; and 
 a take-out step of taking out only said metal layer from said pattern frame. 
 
   
   
     2. The method of manufacturing a contact probe according to  claim 1 , wherein said tip end shaping step includes a step of providing a projection using an electrical discharge machining mark on a machined surface formed by said electrical discharge machining. 
   
   
     3. The method of manufacturing a contact probe according to  claim 2 , wherein said machined surface is covered with a metal having a hardness higher than that of a surface of said machined surface and having an electric resistance smaller than that of a material forming the surface of said machined surface. 
   
   
     4. The method of manufacturing a contact probe according to  claim 1 , wherein said pattern frame is formed by forming a pattern by lithography on a resist film formed on said substrate. 
   
   
     5. The method of manufacturing a contact probe according to  claim 1 , wherein said pattern frame is made of a resin molded using a metal die. 
   
   
     6. A method of manufacturing a contact probe, comprising:
 an electroforming step that comprises, using a pattern frame having a shape corresponding to a contact probe and arranged on a substrate, performing electroforming to fill a gap of said pattern frame to form a metal layer; 
 a tip end shaping step that comprises obliquely removing and sharpening a tip end of said metal layer that is to serve as a tip end portion of said contact probe, comprising a cutting process selected from the group consisting of: cutting said tip end of said metal layer by electrical discharge machining, or cutting a boundary between said pattern frame and said metal layer along said tip end using a rotary cutting edge having an outer edge that is V-shaped in cross section; and 
 a take-out step of taking out only said metal layer from said pattern frame. 
 
   
   
     7. The method of manufacturing a contact probe according to  claim 6 , wherein said cutting process comprises said cutting of said boundary using said rotary cutting edge. 
   
   
     8. The method of manufacturing a contact probe according to  claim 7 , wherein said pattern frame is formed by forming a pattern by lithography on a resist film formed on said substrate. 
   
   
     9. The method of manufacturing a contact probe according to  claim 7 , wherein said pattern frame is made of a resin molded using a metal die.